


Every Hour Has Come to This

by milou407



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, JACK'S BACK, Lardo knows all, M/M, Ransom and Holster are bros, The Author Regrets Nothing, The Haus, Traffic, and ready for some Bitty lovin, of love, that sounded less ridiculous in my head, there might be pancakes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-10
Updated: 2015-04-10
Packaged: 2018-03-22 05:03:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3716161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/milou407/pseuds/milou407
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack's trying to make it back for Bitty's first game of the season, but all this goddamn traffic is getting in the way. Calling Shitty helps, but he just has to wait for the right moment and go. As long as he gets to Bitty in the end, it'll be ok.</p><p>Hm, sounds like that's a metaphor for something...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Every Hour Has Come to This

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri

Jack's head hits the steering wheel once, twice, and a third time. It does nothing to help with his frustration, not that he thought it would. Maybe if he just closes his eyes and wishes _really hard_... But no. When he opens his eyes, he's still stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, the report on the radio says it'll take him another hour to get anywhere near Samwell, and the game starts in a half an hour. 

God-fucking-dammit. 

He had _known_ it would be hard to get to the game after practice, especially when it takes forty minutes usually to get to Samwell. To make matters worse, practice ended at five-thirty today instead of five, and the game starts at six-thirty, but he thought he could make it in time. 

What Jack hadn't counted on was the rush-hour traffic around Boston. 

So he's sitting here, and by all laws of nature he should be there in twenty minutes, but with the rush-hour crowds, he's not holding much hope for getting there on time. 

But he knows that this is _important,_ because it's the first game of the season, and it's a home game, and it'll be the team's (Bitty's) first game without him and it's important for him to be there for the team (Bitty) and if he can't be there then what kind of captain was he anyway? And now he's starting to freak out again because he has to be there and _fuck_ he needs to call Shitty.

The phone rings four times and then- "Hey, Jack. Where are you?"

"Shits, I'm stuck in traffic and it's not moving. I don't think I'll be able to make it on time."

"Damn, Jack. Are you sure? That sucks major ass. Are you going to be here at all? I know they'd appreciate you being here, even if you miss the first period."

Jack sighs, some of the tension leaving his body, "I'll definitely be there, I'm already on my way. Tell everyone that I say hi, and I'll see them after the game."

"Alright, take care Jack. And hurry the fuck up, everyone here misses the hell out of you."

"Yeah, yeah, Shitty, ok. See you soon. Save me a seat," Jack's unable to fight the smile that spreads across his face at the end of the phone call. Shits is the _best._

Now he just has to navigate through this fucking nightmare of a highway and get to the team. And Bitty. 

Alright, so here's the thing with Bitty. 

Due to their mutual inability to discuss Important Feelings-Related Events (Copyright Shitty Knight and Lardo Duan, 2015), Jack left Samwell his senior year with a lot left unsaid between him and Bitty. Apparently, according to one Lardo Duan, if he had "grown the fuck up" and talked about certain feelings he might have had about a former figure skater to said figure skater, he could have been much happier and less "mopey" at the end of his senior year. But, he didn't. Because he's a dumbass. (Yes, Shitty, he does realize it now, thanks.) 

Since then, he and Bitty have been talking, even though Jack doesn't go to Samwell anymore. He's never been one for texting, but Bitty makes it bearable. Through texting and phone calls and Skype, Jack has heard about the new frogs and preseason, and has told Bitty in return about his teammates, who are pretty cool overall, and coming out to his parents, which was _fucking terrifying,_ even if it all turned out ok. 

So is he excited to see Bittle again for the first time in months? Of course. Jack hasn't quite figured out what he's going to say yet, but he'll think of something. As long as he doesn't get tongue tied again. Like he usually does around Bitty. That would be embarrassing. 

Oh no. He's totally going to get tongue tied. It always happens around Bitty. He's just so sweet and _earnest_ and-

Ok, Jack really needs to get to Samwell, _now_. 

\-----

Fifty-five minutes or so later, after a truly terrible episode of road rage and trying to find parking after that _enfant du chienne_ took his spot, Jack is sprinting out of his car and into the arena. Finding Shitty in the rink isn't hard, especially when he stands up and yells, "YO, ZIMMERMAN," across the arena. Lardo, sitting beside him, looks distinctly unimpressed. 

Jack feels his face break out in a grin as he goes to sit with them, and when Shitty envelops him in a bear hug, it just feels like _home._ Lardo punches him in the shoulder and calls him for an asshole for not calling her as often as he should, and he puts his arm around her and squeezes her to apologize. Sitting back down on Shitty's right, Jack asks, "How are they doing?"

"Still tied at zeros, though we definitely had more shots than Dartmouth. Fucking Dartmouth... Chowder looks good though, his saves have all been spot on."

Jack tries to look nonchalant, "And, uh, Bittle? How is he doing?"

He apparently fails, judging by the look he gets from Shitty, "Yeah, Bitty's doing well. He's has two shots so far, he's working well with the other linemen." Shitty elbows him in the side, "But not as well as he did with you. He asked about you, by the way, before they all went into the locker room."

"Did he?" Happiness spreads through Jack's chest, warming him in the cold rink. He had forgotten how cold it was when you weren't on the ice. "I mean, that's good, I guess."

Lardo leans around Shitty to give Jack a pointed look, "You two are going to talk, right? Because I am fucking tired of you two moping at me from two different sides. Figure that shit out." She stands and ruffles Shitty's flow (Still uncut, although he's in law school. Whatever, it's a Shitty thing.) before she says, "I have to get back down to the box, second period is going to start soon." She glares at Jack, "I'll tell Bitty you're going to wait for him after the game. Don't fucking leave." She saunters away, leaving Jack sitting in his seat, wide-eyed and vaguely terrified. 

"She's so scary for someone who's barely five feet tall."

"Yeah," Shitty sighs, "She's great."

\-----

The second and third periods pass in a blur of shouting and the sound of skates on ice. In the end, Jack and Shitty are yelling and jumping, and the final score reads "Dartmouth: 0; Samwell: 4". 

The two of them file off of the ice with the rest of the fans, animatedly discussing the plays they recognize and how the team is working together without them. They meet up with Lardo outside of the entrance to the team room, and she's smiling as large as any of the boys were. As some of the players start trickling out of the locker room, old teammates clap Jack on the shoulder in greeting. Jack's talking with Chowder, congratulating him on the shutout (Chowder seems to be almost vibrating with joy) when he hears "JACK!" coming from behind him. He turns in time to be crushed in a group hug with Ransom and Holster, which is wonderful, except for the fact that he can't breathe. 

"Zimmerman! I'd recognize THAT beautiful booty anywhere," Ransom pulls back to look at Jack, grinning widely, "How're you doing man?"

"I'm doing well," Their excitement is contagious, and Jack can't help smiling, "Providence is nothing like Samwell, but everything's going pretty well. How's the rest of the team?" 

"Everyone's good, the team's doing well, even without our star captain. Are you going to come back to the Haus? We're gonna have a kegster, and you know you're always welcome," Holster steps back and grabs the strap on his bag, slinging an arm around Ransom. 

"Yeah, probably. I'll come back to the house later, I'm going to wait for Bitty, do you guys know when he'll be out?" Jack tries not to look too forlorn, but he doesn't know if he's successful. Judging by the look Holster and Ransom share, it doesn't work. 

"I just saw him, I think he said he'd be out soon," Holster reassures him, pulling Jack in for another hug. Holster and Ransom are the best. 

"Ok, I'll be back at the house later then. See you guys there." They wave as they walk back toward the house together, brushing shoulders. 

Shitty and Lardo also say goodbye, telling him that they'll see him at the house, and now it's just him waiting outside of the team room. By himself. Maybe this was a dumb idea. Maybe Bitty doesn't want to see him. What if Bitty doesn't want to see him? What if- 

"Jack?"

Jack whips around, trying to find the source of the voice he's been waiting to hear. Bitty stands against the door of the team room, worrying the handle on his bag between his hands. He looks like he doesn't trust that Jack is actually there in front of him, but also like he hopes that he is. Jack's completely helpless against the ridiculous grin he knows is spreading across his face.

"Hey Bitty. Did you miss me?" 

Bitty does his best to launch himself at Jack, wrapping his arms tightly around Jack's neck. Jack's own arms settle around Bitty's waist and hold him tightly. God, he missed this. And somehow, even after a shower, Bitty still smells vaguely of apple pie and sugar and something simply _Bitty._ Just like Shitty, Bittle feels like home and Jack didn't realize how much he had missed him until he finally saw him again. 

"I'm not going anywhere, Bitty," Jack mumbles, "You don't have to squeeze me like I'm going to disappear."

"Maybe I'm just happy to see you, you ridiculous person," Bitty says directly into his shoulder, where Jack can feel his smile. Jack hides one of his own, ducking his face into Bitty's neck. Maybe they can just stay like this. He can't mess anything up if they don't talk, right?

Bitty pulls away slightly and looks up at Jack, big eyes shining. His eyebrows pull together, and he hits Jack in the chest, "Jack Laurent Zimmerman, you were late! Where exactly were you? You said you'd be here before the game started, and I did not see your sorry ass anywhere."

Jack can feel the smile slipping as he meets Bitty's eyes guiltily, "I know, and I'm really sorry about that. Traffic was terrible, and Coach let us out late. I tried to be on time, really." 

The joking smile left Bitty's face, and he looks concerned, "No, Jack it's ok! I knew you'd be there, I trust you. I was just sad because I missed seeing you before the game. But you're here now, that's what really matters." Then Bitty smiles again and blushes, doing strange things to Jack's heart. Lardo is absolutely right, he's completely gone for him. Bitty pushes his face into Jack's chest again, and they stand there for a minute, Jack's head resting on Bittle's, before Jack pulls back to look at him again. 

"We should, uh, probably get back to the Haus. They'll be wondering where we are," Jack clears his throat, feeling anxious, "And you don't want to miss the party, right?"

"Right, the party," Bitty moves away fully, looking down at his shoes. 

"Hey, Bitty," Jack puts his hand on Bittle's shoulder and meets his eyes, "I'm really happy to see you. I missed you a lot."

"Thanks Jack," Bitty smiles, but it's not as bright as it was before, "Samwell's different without you. I miss skating with you."

"Even checking practice?"

"Oh lord no," Bitty snorts as they walk away, surprisingly indelicate, "Never that. I was so glad when we were finished with getting up before the sun to slam me against the boards."

They walk back to the Haus, talking all the way. And if their hands brush a few more times than is strictly accidental, well, Jack's not telling. 

\-----

Entering the Haus is like stepping back in time, back to the days when he was a frog, and the four years when this Haus was his haven, and the boys were his family. The music is shaking the whole house and there are people _everywhere._ Jack is frozen for a second, but thankfully Bitty grabs his hand and pulls him through the crowd, to the relative safety of the kitchen. There aren't any people here, clearly this is still Bitty's space, and is therefore sacred. Jack pats Betsy hello on his way to get a beer, making Bitty smile. Jack grabs two and brings them back to the kitchen table, where Bitty is waiting, and expectant look on his face.

"So," Jack says as he sits down, "Tell me about your line up."

Bitty's whole demeanor changes and he sits up straighter, as the two of them begin talking hockey. 

Talking to Bitty is just so _easy._ They sit at the kitchen table for what must be hours, talking about everything they've missed in their chats and calls. Bitty tells Jack about the gaps they have since he and Shitty left, and how they've all worked to fill them. Jack explains to Bitty about his new schedule and position, how the guys on the team are cool, but not as cool as the Samwell team, obviously. It's dangerously easy to let down his guard, the one Jack's been cultivating for years, since Parse and the press conferences first started. But it never once feels as though he's slipping, it all just feels _right._ The hours pass like minutes, and before they know it, it's past two a.m., and the Haus is starting to empty. 

"Oh lord, is that the time?" Bitty jumps from his chair and grabs their bottles to put in the recycling, "I have to get up for class tomorrow. I really need to get to bed."

"Shit, Bitty I'm really sorry about that," Jack rubs the back of his head with his hand, standing as well. "I completely forgot that you would have class in the morning." He stretches, and feels his shirt hike up, "I should probably go to sleep as well, I'm dead tired."

Bitty doesn't respond, and Jack turns to see him staring at Jack's torso, where his shirt must have lifted a good few inches. "Bitty?"

Bitty meets Jack's eyes, and there's a brief flash of fiery determination that Jack knows well before he's stalking forward, putting his hands on either side of Jack's face, and kissing him.

It's everything that Jack thought it would be, sweet and soft with a hint of fire and just so perfectly _Bitty._ When Bitty pulls away, Jack just stands there, frozen in place, as he feels his face heat up in a relentless blush. 

"Oh my god. Oh Jack, I'm so sorry," Bitty is babbling as he backs away, wringing his hands, "I thought- well never mind what I thought. I'm sorry, that was wrong, I should have asked you before- I'm so sorry. I'm gonna go." Bitty finds his way out of the kitchen and practically sprints up the stairs. Jack is still frozen in place, trying to figure out what happened. 

So. Bitty kissed him. And he liked it. And then Bitty ran away. Because...?

Oh. Bitty thought that _Jack_ didn't like it. Well. That would have to be rectified. 

Almost in a daze, Jack finds his way out of the kitchen and up the stairs, stopping in front of Bitty's door. Taking a deep breath, Jack knocks lightly and waits. When Bitty opens the door, he looks surprised to see Jack there, which is still better than the absolutely miserable look he had on before. 

"Jack? What're... I'm sorry for kissing you before, that was wrong and I should have asked you first-"

He's obviously not going to stop on his own, so Jack cuts him off with another kiss, this one more assured than their first. Bitty squeaks in surprise and then melts into the kiss, winding his arms around Jack's neck and into his hair, pressing against him. Jack's own arms go around Bitty, holding him just as tightly. 

When Bitty breaks away, he looks confused but incredibly pleased and Jack says, "I've been wanting to do this for a very long time now, but if you tell me to stop, I will."

"Not on your life, Jack Zimmerman," And Bitty pulls Jack into his room by his shirt, kicking the door shut behind him as he does so. Jack is _so happy right now._

They move toward each other again, as if pulled by some inescapable force, and collapse together on Bitty's bed. They spend long minutes just kissing and touching, exploring the heat between them. Eventually, Bitty pulls away gasping as Jack kisses down his neck.

"Jack, as much as I would like to see where this is going to go," He pauses with a sharp breath as Jack begins to suck a hickey at his collarbone, "I have a nine a.m. class tomorrow, and I probably shouldn't miss it."

Jack pulls away and meets his eyes. While he would love to muss Bitty up a little, there's no denying they should both be functional tomorrow. 

"Yeah, you're right. I don't have practice until late afternoon, but Coach will kill me if I'm a zombie," He presses one last kiss to the hollow of Bitty's throat, and pulls him against his chest, settling them for sleep. Bitty nestles against him, eyes already shut.

"Hey, Bitty?" Bitty opens one eye to look up at him, "Wake me before you leave tomorrow, ok? Don't just go."

Bitty opens both eyes fully to gaze softly at Jack, "I won't, I promise." So Jack falls asleep with Bitty in his arms and his hair in his mouth. It's not a bad way to fall asleep.

\-----

Bitty wakes up at the correct time for his early class, looks at the boy sleeping peacefully in his bed, thinks _Screw it,_ and goes back to sleep.

\-----

When Jack wakes up, it's ten in the morning, and they're both lying in a patch of sunlight, turning Bitty's hair to light and painting his skin gold. He clutches him tighter to his chest, and is thankful for everything that brought him to Eric Richard Bittle.

"Stop thinking so much, it's too early," Bitty whines into his chest.

Jack chuckles quietly and kisses the top of his head, "It's already ten, Bitty. We're late."

"Mmph. Whatever. Not worth it. Too comfy," He snuggles deeper into Jack, making him smile. They lay like that for a minute or two, and then Jack clears his throat. 

"Hey Bitty?" He waits until Bitty meets his eyes before continuing, "So, you and me, is this... you know. A thing?"

Bitty pulls away from him until he can look him full in the face, "Jack. I have been waiting too damn long for this not to be a thing. Do you want us to be together?"

"Yes! I do. I've been thinking about it a lot recently, and yeah. I wouldn't go announcing it to the world, but I've talked to my agent about coming out quietly, so we'd be able to be together publicly, if that's something you would want. But, yeah. I want this."

"So then we'll be together. We'll keep talking like we have been, and we'll trade off visiting," Bitty kisses his neck softly, "It'll be ok, Jack. We'll be fine."

Jack smiles into Bitty's hair, "Yeah, we'll be good." They lie quietly for a moment before Jack asks, "So what's the probability I could get you to make pancakes?"

"Oh my lord. You kiss a boy _one time_ and he thinks he's entitled to pancakes?" Bitty rolls out of bed while complaining, pulling pajama pants and a t-shirt on over his boxers. Jack rolls up on his elbow to watch.

"Well, I was hoping my _boyfriend_ would make me some," He sends the puppy eyes Bitty's way. Bitty just snorts in response, so Jack sighs heavily before getting up and stretching, keeping one eye on the way Bitty watches him move. He bends over to pick up one of Bitty's shirts and doesn't miss the way Bitty's eyes catch on his ass. Pulling on the shirt, he walks to the door, "I guess I'll just make my own then-"

Before he gets to the door, Jack is caught by Bitty, who pulls him into a searing kiss. 

"You play dirty," Bitty murmurs against his mouth.

"It worked though, didn't it?" Retorts Jack, smirking.

"Yeah, yeah," Bitty grumbles, smacking Jack's ass as he moves past him to the door, "You'll get your damn pancakes."

Jack saunters out of the door, and then stops at the top of the stairs, grabbing Bitty's hand.

"What? Jack, what's wrong?"

"Oh god," he moans, his head in his hands, "Shitty and everyone is going to be down there. They're going to see us. The teasing will never end."

"What, are you embarrassed to be seen with me?"

"Far from it," Jack kisses him with a smile, "I'm just making sure you know what you're walking into."

"I know," Bitty says, smiling softly, "I can take it. It won't be that bad, I'm sure."

\------

It is that bad. 

The Haus collectively flips out. 

Lardo and Shitty win a lot of money from Holster and Ransom. 

And it's easily the best morning of Jack's life.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it! Much thanks to my platonic life parter Morgan, <3\. If you want a coda which explains exactly what happens at breakfast, comment here or find me on tumblr at shipalltheboats, because I've been thinking about writing it, but I'm not decided yet. If you spotten any errors, tell me and I'll fix them. Any comments are very appreciated. Much love


End file.
